Friends Are Forever, But Love Is Eternal
by crazytomboy78
Summary: A nother  collection of short one-shots starring our three favorite friends, Tony, Pepper and Rhodey. Some may be songfics.
1. Realize

After Pepper had said goodbye with the smallest hint of flirting in her tone, Tony leaned a tiny bit closer to Rhodey and asked,

"Umm, so why is Pepper being so clingy lately?"

Rhodey smacked his forehead and ran his hand down his face, then sighed. Sometimes, Tony...

"Oh my dear goodness, Tony Stark you are so oblivious sometimes." Rhodey complained.

"What? How am I oblivious? How is that oblivious?" Tony asked defensively. Rhodey shook his head and waved it off.

"Nevermind, you'd never believe it..." Rhodey said with a sigh.

"What? Just tell me!"

"Alright, if you say so..."

"What is it!"

"Dude, you're oblivious because you didn't notice that she's clinging to you a lot lately because she likes you." Rhodey explained. Tony looked confused.

"What? No. We're just friends..." Tony said, not entirely sure that was true now that he thought.

"See? I told you you wouldn't believe me. I'm not lying dude, she really does like you."

"Well, I am pretty irresistible." Tony smirked arrogantly. Then he became serious. Pepper, like me? It was not something he could easily wrap his mind around.

"I...w-well I think I like her too, but how are you supposed to be sure? I've never LIKED a girl before." Tony said. Rhodey was amazed at Tony's cluelessness.

"You know when you like a girl when all you think about is her, when you can't keep your eyes out of hers...you...you just know, Tony." Tony thought hard. He thought about Pepper, and all the times he was alone in his lab working and she would creep into his thoughts and flood them so all he thought of was her-and like magic, she would appear.

"Crap, I like her too...what do I do?"

"Umm, you tell her? Duh." Rhodey said with a smirk as he folded his arms.

"Uhuhh, are you kidding me? No way! What if she doesn't-oh..duh," Tony stopped himself from saying something stupid. "But what if she's too nervous to admit she likes me back? What if she doesn't believe me! That's a terrible idea, I won't do it!" Tony complained. Rhodey sighed.

"Oh, Tony," Rhodey placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I think it's just you who's too scared."

At that moment, Pepper walked back into the armory with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Forgot my bag," she explained, grabbing her small, over-the-shoulder bag and quickly walking back out. While she did so, of course, Tony tried to hide his grin from Rhodey, who had raised an eyebrow in interest over the situation. Tony secretly admired her silly grin and the sparkle in her eyes.

After she left, Rhodey said, "Mm?" In a tone that suggested he meant 'and?'

Tony rested his forehead on the wall and groaned in annoyance.

"Crap!"

**Well, short one-shot number one! Number two: on the way! What did you think? I tried to make it as long as I could, but all the one-shots I'll be posting are just short moments that I'd thought up and written down on my phone. So they're not really meant to be long things. Review?**


	2. Cab Ride

**First, I'd like to summarize this one cuz there's a little explaining to do.**

**Summary: **_**Pepper reflects on how Gene had hurt her when he had betrayed her and her friends and she realizes a few things along the way. Songfic.**_

**Song-**_According To You _by _Oranthi_

_According to you I'm stupid, I'm useless  
>I can't do anything right<br>According to you I'm difficult, hard to please  
>Forever changing my mind<br>I'm a mess in a dress, can't show up on time  
>Even if it would save my life<br>According to you, according to you_

Pepper thought as the cab drove on in silence down the streets of the city, winding its way towards Tony's mysterious meeting spot. She thought of their previous conversation about Gene and how he had betrayed them and hurt them all. Pepper thought about all the times it had just been her and Gene, hanging out, having a good time.

A good time, up until Pepper would make a small mistake and Gene would talk down to her.

**Flashback!**

"_But I just don't know. I don't want Tony to find the last ring. The last few have been so dangerous, I don't want him to get hurt…" Pepper said, letting her worries seep into her voice, making it amplify her worry. Gene clenched his fists as they rested on his lap._

"_Don't be stupid, Pepper. We have to find the fifth ring." Gene said, trying to conceal his anger. _

"_But Gene, aren't you concerned about one of us getting hurt?" Pepper asked._

"_Pepper, this is why you aren't making decisions for us. There is no reason to not find the fifth ring, so just save it." Gene spat. Pepper grabbed her bag and stood from the booth at the diner._

"_Look, I have to go." Pepper walked out._

**Flashback end.**

Pepper remembered how Tony had dealt with her concern later that day. He had been so kind and delicate about it and he hadn't called her stupid. _Yet I am, for not realizing the difference between the two sooner._

_But according to him I'm beautiful, incredible  
>He can't get me out of his head<br>According to him I'm funny, irresistible  
>Everything he ever wanted<br>Everything is opposite, I don't feel like stopping it  
>So baby tell me what I got to lose<br>He's into me for everything I'm not  
>According to you<em>

Pepper reflected on the differences she noticed between how Gene treated her and how Tony treated her.

**Flashback (again)!**

_Tony and Pepper sat on the roof of the school in silence until Pepper spoke up._

"_Tony, do you think I'm stupid?" She asked, hearing the word in Gene's voice echoing in her head. Tony looked up from his phone with a quizzical look on his face._

"_What? No way! What stupid idiot would tell you that? You, Pepper," He stood and walked over to her, "are the smartest, most capable, prettiest girl I've ever met." Pepper smiled and let out a giggle._

"_I didn't say anything about pretty," She commented. Tony sat next to Pepper with a blush, looking back to his phone._

"_O-oh, you didn't…" _

**Flashback end.**

That was still able to make Pepper smile. But with the smile came all her overwhelming feelings of how, once again, she had took the abuse from Gene and had tried so hard to accept his harsh words when in reality she had no reason in the world to give him a chance at all in the first place. So stupid, Pepper thought.

_According to you I'm boring, I'm moody  
>And you can't take me any place<br>According to you I suck at telling jokes  
>'Cause I always give it away<br>I'm the girl with the worst attention span  
>You're the boy who puts up with that<br>According to you, according to you  
>But according to him I'm beautiful, incredible<br>He can't get me out of his head  
>According to him I'm funny, irresistible<br>Everything he ever wanted  
>Everything is opposite, I don't feel like stopping it<br>So baby tell me what I got to lose  
>He's into me for everything I'm not<br>According to you  
>I need to feel appreciated<br>Like I'm not hated, oh no  
>Why can't you see me through his eyes?<br>It's too bad, you're making me dizzy_

"You know, Gene hurt me too." Pepper said. Tony lifted his head and looked at her with a quizzical look.

"It felt like we were good friends. I felt like he would always be friends and I hadn't known why I hadn't trusted him before. But then there was always those times where I made the simplest mistake and he criticized me for it. But you…you never did that. You'd never do that. And I was stupid for not realizing it sooner. I-I'm so sorry, Tony…" Tony sighed.

"No, Pepper, don't blame yourself. I should have listened to you in the beginning when you doubted him because you were right all along. So if anyone is the stupid one, it's me." Tony said. Pepper looked down to her feet.

"But I could have tried harder to stop you from trusting him. I feel so dumb, like its all my fault," Pepper said. There was a moment of silence.

"Hey, you know what always cheers me up when I'm sad?" Tony asked. Pepper looked up to him curiously.

"No, what?"

"A good laugh." Tony explained. Pepper held her gaze and waited for what Tony had to say next.

"Knock knock," He began. Pepper raised an eyebrow. "Who's there?"

"The smartest girl in the whole city." Tony said with a smile as he poked her cheek.

Pepper chuckled at Tony's dumb joke, which really wasn't even a joke at all, but really she was laughing at how goofy he was when he tried to make her laugh-which he always ended up succeeding in. He smiled and chuckled the more he watched her laugh.

A few short moments later their laughter died down and while Pepper wiped away a tear formed from laughter as they exited the cab, Tony of course paying the cab driver, and Pepper pushed Tony playfully on the shoulder.

"Dangit, Tony being so good to me!" She said with a smile. Tony shrugged.

"Afraid I can't do that, miss." Tony said in a super hero-type way and hands on his hips. Pepper giggled more and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well stop. I don't deserve it or you, you're too good to me."

"If anything, it's me who's not nearly good enough for you. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you." Pepper smiled up at him, letting her head remain on his shoulder.

_But according to me you're stupid, you're useless  
>You can't do anything right<br>But according to him I'm beautiful, incredible  
>He can't get me out of his head<br>According to him I'm funny, irresistible  
>Everything he ever wanted<br>Everything is opposite, I don't feel like stopping it  
>Baby tell me what I got to lose<br>He's into me for everything I'm not  
>According to you, you<br>According to you, you  
>According to you I'm stupid, I'm useless<br>I can't do anything right_

**So, one-shot number two! Hopefully more are coming up…review!**


	3. Going to Prom

**Summary-**_**There's a prom up soon, and Tony has a certain redhead in mind for his date.**_

Tony went up to Pepper's apartment door and knocked. A moment later, the door swung open and none other than Pepper's father had answered the door. Tony swallowed nervously when he noticed Virgil's authoritative stance: arms crossed and brows furrowed; it also didn't help that he was wearing his work clothes, 'cause seeing the FBI logo on the chest of his shirt made Tony's swallowing that much more nervous.

"Oh hello, Tony, what can I do you for?" Virgil asked.

"I, uhh, need to talk to Pepper, sir." Tony explained nervously.

"Why certainly, just one moment," Virgil went to get Pepper and while he did so Tony contemplated what to say. But mid-thought, he was interrupted.

"Tony? What's up?" Pepper asked curiously.

"Look, Pepper, I don't know what you're going to say to this and I don't really understand much about romance except that I like you and I came to wonder if you'd like to maybe, uhh, go to prom with me..." At the beginning Tony sounded firm and rambly but towards the end, as he asked her, he spoke more timidly. Pepper smiled, which made Tony nervous.

"U-unless you don't want to go, that's cool I mean, I understand and stuff, and-" this time it was Pepper who interrupted Tony's rambling; but she stopped it with a kiss to his lips. Tony was surprised by the courageous motion but accepted it and returned the kiss.

"So I'll take that as a yes?" Tony said calmly when they parted. Pepper giggled.

"Yes, Tony, I'll go with you." Tony fit his hand into hers, smiled to her and said,

"Good, 'cause I wasn't going to accept a 'no'."

**Okay, that one was pretty short. The lengths of these one-shots will vary, but most of them won't really be very long. Chances are that if it's long, it's probably a songfic. Review?**


	4. Jealousy

**Summary****-**_**Pepper has a new boyfriend and Tony's not taking it too well. **_

***Note-I'm not making this into a whole story, I'm just taking the parts I had typed on my phone and posting them.**

Tony looked up from his work to see Pepper running to him, crying. Tony set down his wrench and waited for her embrace; it came surprisingly quick. Before questioning anything, Tony let her hug him for a long while.

After a good long hug, Pepper and Tony leaned their backs against a wall and sank to the floor, Pepper's head resting on Tony's shoulder. Tony was silent for a moment.

"So what happened?" Asked Tony as he wiped away some of her tears. Pepper sniffled before answering.

"You were right about Micheal." she answered simply.

"I hate to say I told you so," Tony stated. Pepper hit him lightly on the shoulder.

"Would it help if I told you I'm much funnier and way less of a jerk anyways?" Tony said. Pepper let out a brief, light chuckle and pushed Tony playfully.

"Don't ever underestimate yourself, Tony...to tell the truth, you're the best friend I could ever have." Tony hated hearing that word as a description of their relationship.

"Yeah...friend..." Tony sighed. He wanted, now that he realized, to be much much more to her than that.

"Tony, did you ever picture us being anything...anything more?" Asked Pepper after a long silence. Tony was hesitant to answer, due to being nervous.

"Too many times..." Pepper looked at Tony in surprise.

"Really?" She asked. Tony looked over to her with his head leaning against the wall behind them. He nodded. Pepper smiled.

"Tony, I...I'm sorry if I hurt you when I was with Micheal, you didn't deserve to be hurt that way...I-I'm so sorry..." Tony looked over to her once more.

"It's not your fault," Pepper smiled.

"Stop treating me so well!"

"Well, if I did that then I wouldn't be being myself." Tony longed to set his hand atop hers, but resisted. Pepper didn't respond, but instead smiled to Tony and sat with him.

"Tony, tell me the truth. Were you really jealous of me and Micheal?" Pepper asked. Her question still made Tony a bit nervous.

"Do I have to tell the truth?"

"Yes." Tony sighed,

"Then yes." Pepper was ecstatic at Tony's answer.

"Tony, why didn't you tell me?" Pepper asked. Tony sighed to himself.

"Because you looked so happy with him and I didn't want to ruin it for you." Tony explained.

"Tony, I'm happy with you. Not some muscley-sports buff who cares more for a 50 lbs dumbell." Pepper explained. Tony didn't react for a moment as he stared into her eyes, then moved in closer to her and kissed her. It was deep and long, and for Tony it felt like something he should have done a very long time ago. It was like he'd felt something missing his whole life and finally he found it. It felt so...natural.  
>They parted moments later and Pepper murmured,<p>

"I love you, Tony..."

"And I'll never stop loving you, Pepper."

**Alright, not many left I promise! Review!**


	5. Kiss Scene

**Summary-**_**Takes place as an alternate part to the previous chapter of 'Pepper, Be My Girlfriend?' In place of Tony and Pepper's fake-kiss. Whitney is prodding Tony and Pepper to prove their relationship is real…**_

Whitney tapped her foot impatiently as she said,

"Well? What are you waiting for? If you really love her you'd kiss her." Whitney prodded. Tony looked from Whitney to Pepper to Whitney again nervously. Then he made a move Pepper would never forget: he kissed her.

But what surprised him most was the fact that Pepper kissed back.

Tony and Pepper heard Whitney groan and walk away miserably. Tony kissed Pepper a moment longer after Whitney stormed off before parting and suddenly becoming very nervous and blushing. Although Tony's bold move was just what Pepper had wanted to happen, she couldn't help but feel awkward.

"So, uhh...w-we should get to, uumm...what's it called..." Tony's mind was a blank. He couldn't think of anything but what had just happened.

Pepper giggled and said, "the lab?"

"No, it starts with a c..."

"Class?"

"Yeah! That's the one."

"Tony, it's the weekend." Pepper reminded him with a smile.

"O-oh. I knew that..."

**Another short one -.- But hey, I can't help it. I can't think of anything to put around it…review?**


	6. Dreams

**Summary-**_**The death of Tony's mother haunts him in his dreams.**_

"M-mom? Is that you?" Tony asked. The woman nodded and ran her hand over Tony's cheek, her eye sparkling with tears. "It's really me, Tony," she paused for a long while. "How are you? I see you've gotten yourself a girlfriend." Tony hesitated to answer at first.

"Still your little boy, just like you said," he paused, "and yeah, she's a great girl. You'd love her." Tony explained.

"That's wonderful! And you still are my baby boy, Tony, nothing will change that," Maria said as she hugged Tony tight and close to her. Tony felt like a child again and honestly, he liked it.

"I'll never let go, Tony, but you have to move on with your life. Promise me you'll do that, Tony," Maria said. Tony felt the tears rolling down his cheeks.  
>"I will, I promise mom," Tony said sadly, hugging his mother back tightly only to discover that he was hugging air. She was gone once more, with only a faint, whispered 'I love you, baby boy,' as she vanished.<p>

~...~

Tony awoke and sat up in his bed quickly, breathing heavily. He had had those dreams only a few times before; he'd had them about him and his father after Howard had been presumed dead and Tony had been depressed with the news, he'd had them after his mom died, and once in a blue moon during his childhood/early teenhood. He didn't like them at all, either.

Tony sighed and laid back down, trying to fall back asleep.

**Gahh, so short -.- review!**


	7. Confrontation of Sorts

_**Summary-**__**Tony and Pepper are arguing about Pepper having a boyfriend—and Tony's got a few things to say.**_

"Come on, Tony, why can't you just accept the fact that I have a boyfriend? Ugh, you're so irritating sometimes!" she paused, "what's up with you lately?" Pepper asked, hands on hips.

"I-I don't know...it's...it's nothing, ok? This whole thing is just new to me. I'm not used to it." Tony lied. It was a flimsy excuse, he knew, but in the moment it was all he had.

"Oh, that's your usual crap, Tony! Just tell me! I'm so sick of this new behavior of yours!" Pepper was almost yelling. Tony knew she was mad.

"Oh, thanks for noticing! I didn't think you would considering you're always so busy with Mitch that you can't spend time with your friends!" Tony spat. Woah. Where'd THAT come from?

"Yeah? Well news flash Tony! You're not my first priority! So get over it, and more importantly, get over yourself!" Pepper yelled back. Tony felt hurt by her remark, but pushed the feeling away.

"Yeah, well the world doesn't revolve around Mitch either! He's not as perfect as you think, Pepper, and I just wanted you to see that but you're not. So yeah, I warned you. Don't come crying to me when he breaks your heart." Tony felt like he had just betrayed her. He felt awful for saying what he had said, and wanted to take back every word. But it was too late for that.

"Ughh! Why do you act so much like you really care!" Pepper yelled.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU OKAY?" Tony blurted. The pair went completely silent. The whole armory was awkwardly silent. Tony looked to Pepper with a half-open mouth, unable to vocalize anything at all. Had he really just said that?  
>Pepper was the same way, except twice as shocked at what he had said.<p>

"Y-you...you do?" Pepper muttered. Tony, heavy blush painted on his cheeks, rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Y-yeah..." For a little while, they just stared at each other. They were too shocked to do anything.

But then they mindlessly moved closer to each other. Pepper stood close to him, looking up at him and realizing how he must be like, a foot taller than her, but she didn't care. To be on such a misunderstanding mere minutes ago but to be on the same page now amazed Tony.

They closed the gap between each other and Pepper felt the fireworks like never before. What she felt now was amazing and exhilarating; with Mitch, she hadn't felt a thing. She didn't even know she could fly so high until she had kissed him; and honestly, she didn't want to go back to the ground.

Rhodey, having been 'in the back room finding supplies for a science project', quietly stepped back in the room, his words silenced when he saw what was happening. He smiled, said "Ooh..." and tip-toed back to the supply room. He knew leaving them alone with some tension would lead to it and quite frankly he was tired of watching them mindlessly flirt with each other without even knowing a single tiny bit that one had feelings for the other.

"You know, you're being a terrible girlfriend." Tony said with a smile as they parted.

"Eh, it was all too worth it." Pepper giggled and pecked Tony more.

**OH. MY. GOSH. I've been on vacation too long, haven't I? No, in case you're wondering, I haven't crawled in a hole and died. I'm still here. And I'll try to update my other stories soon, like starting tomorrow, but for now it's short one-shots n' stuff. Review?**


	8. Addicted to You

_**Summary-**__**Set during the end of the first chapter of 'Decisions'. Alternate beginning to the chapter following it.**_

"Tony, have you gone bonkers? If he gets all ten rings, no one will be able to stop him! We'll all be done for! What were you thinking?" Pepper asked questions rapid-fire.

"I was thinking we could just get through to him somehow." Tony explained. Pepper could not believe what she was hearing.

"Tony, with all that we've been through with him, this is how you're figuring it will work? Words don't get through to him anymore!" Pepper spoke in anger, hoping her words would make sense to him. It didn't look like they were.

"Maybe we can get lucky." Tony bent over his work once more. Pepper felt full-on furious at what she was hearing.

"_**Luck**_? You're willing to bet on _luck_?" Pepper yelled.

"Well, maybe you can get through to him too." Pepper was appalled at Tony's sudden behavior.

"Tony!" Pepper crossed her arms. She was furious.

"Is that how you see me? I'm just the friend you can throw around? Do you really think I'd want to put myself through that heartache again, Tony?" Pepper didn't want to believe it was Tony she was talking to.

"Pepper, that's not what I meant, come on…" Tony realized what he'd said and felt the huge burden of a mistake he had just made. Obviously it was too late for sorries.

"No, Tony, it's like I don't know you anymore. You've become an entirely different person than I came to know you as." Pepper sounded sorrowed by this point. Tony felt deep remorse.

"Pepper, please…" Tony begged.

"No, Tony, it's too late. Just…just stay away. If you're going to bet on your friends to get what you want then I don't want to be a part of it." Pepper walked out.

"Why do I have to be such an IDIOT!" Tony yelled, pounding the wall with his fists and keeping them on the wall as he rested his head in his arms and let stray tears fall. He felt stupid for what he'd done to Pepper and he regretted everything he'd done.

"Crying for me?" Tony turned around quickly to see Pepper in the doorway to the armory, stepping inside farther so the door could slide closed. Tony rushed over to Pepper. Pepper noticed his bloodshot eyes and the bags underneath them, indicating he had neglect towards sleep.

"Pepper, I don't know much anything about love but I do know that I love you and I feel completely stupid for what I did to you. I shouldn't have helped Gene and I should have found another way but I didn't because I'm stupid. I would never do anything like that to hurt you," Tony blurted. Pepper covered his mouth to get him to stop talking.

"You're not AN idiot," Tony gave her a confused glare. "You're my idiot." Pepper teased with a smile.

"Why did you forgive me?" Tony asked. Pepper smiled as she sniffled quietly, indicating that she'd cried earlier too.

"To tell you the truth, I'm kind of addicted to you too." Pepper explained. Tony smiled and moved closer to her, grabbing her hands in his.

"Pepper, I made a mistake but I know that this is the only way I could ever get my dad back. I don't even blame you for being mad at me, and I know that I need you by my side for this. So please, please Pepper, stay with me. Because I seem to lose everyone who gets close to me and I know now that if the same happens with you I don't know if I could live with myself anymore." Tony babbled nervously.

"Tony, you know I could never leave you." Pepper said with a smile, wrapping her arms around his waste and snuggling her head into his chest. Tony's smile grew again and he rested his head atop hers.

**Psh, that was awful corny. Blah :P How did you all like it? Review?**


	9. Spoken For

_**Summary-**__**Rhodey explains to Tony something important. Supposed to be before 'Going to Prom'.**_

"Tony, you do know that if you don't get her soon you're going to lose her?" Rhodey said. Tony poked his head up.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Rhodey said. Tony looked confusedly at his friend.

"No, I really don't." Tony said. Rhodey rolled his eyes.

"You are so clueless sometimes," he complained as he shook his head.

"What? Why?"

"Tony, if you don't tell Pepper soon that you like her someone else is gonna." Rhodey explained. Tony's cheeks rapidly grew a rose red.=

"But I-I don't...I mean, we're just friends..." Tony stammered.

"Yeah, yeah sure you are. Anyways, Tony you better tell her soon or she'll be spoken for. You know prom is coming up." Rhodey forewarned.

"I-I..." he stopped and thought, muttering 'maybe...' under his breath.

**Yeah, I knew this one was gonna be short. But oh well. Review?**


	10. Know Me

As Pepper walked through the park, backpack slung over her shoulder, watching her cell phone screen (reading a text message), she bumped into something soft and tall. When she looked up, she saw a burly boy looking to be about the same age as herself.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Pepper said with a polite smile as she took a step back.

"Oh, that's quite alright, pretty little miss." The boy said with a cocky smile. Pepper smirked politely and brushed her hair behind her ears.

"So, where you headed?" He asked.

"Oh, nowhere in particular, really, probably just home."

"Well I can't let a pretty lady like you walk herself home in this busy, bustling city." Pepper noticed a vibe from him that said 'I don't take no for an answer' and that concerned her. But then she remembered something and smiled.

"Oh, no thanks, I have my boyfriend for that." Pepper explained as Tony walked up next to her, grabbing her hand.

"Hey, Pepper, what's up?" Tony greeted. Pepper noticed in particular that Tony was standing a bit tall, making the boy stranger nervous.

"Oh. Well whatever, I gotta get going anyways." The boy walked off. Pepper smirked.

"You know, I could've sworn you were jealous just then," She teased as they walked off.

"What? Me? Jealous? What gives you that idea?" Tony asked nervously.

"The fact that you were trying to look big and buff just because some random guy was flirting with me." Pepper smiled.

"Psh, I don't need to be jealous because I know you need me." Tony said, rubbing his nose with hers. Pepper placed her head on Tony's shoulder.

"Maybe you know me a bit too well."

**Short and sweet. Last one of the night. Review?**


	11. When You're In Love

As Pepper walked down the hall in school, she was stopped. She saw some jock standing in front of her, and saw Tony at his locker in the distance.

"Did you want something?" Pepper asked impatiently. There was a totally alone Tony standing at his locker! Like, ugh!

"Yeah, a date to the dance Friday." He said with a flirty, arrogant smile.

"Well I can't help you there," Pepper said, wondering why he was looking to her to help him find some preppy cheerleader girl to go with him. "I don't know anything about cheerleaders." _Other than what's up their skirts. Haha._

"I was thinking more along the lines of you going with me." He said in a voice that sounded more like a demand than a request.

"Umm, can't help you there either." Pepper retorted.

"What? Why would you resist _me_?" He said, offended. "I'm like…irresistible!" Pepper smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Well, let's just say that when you're in love," Pepper shifted her eyes over to Tony, still at his locker. "the only person you can see is him."

Pepper brushed past him and walked over to Tony at his locker, greeting him with a wave and a smile and a "hey, what's up?"

As the jock still standing in the hallway watched, he saw the slight flirting in her actions and knew what she meant. He followed as they walked off to class.

When they sat down in class, he leaned forward and whispered, "You like _Stark_? Every girl likes Stark! What makes you think you stand a chance with him?" He said. Pepper could tell he didn't like being denied.

"Because," Pepper said, sighing in delight as she admired the back of Tony's head. "believe it or not, he's got a pretty big heart."

**blah :P that was short and weird, but it just popped in my head at random. So I had to write it up. Anyways, review?**


End file.
